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I'm beginning to get the impression that writing about Trader Joe's is some sort of fall-back for food writers who don't have any other good ideas. On the surface, this seems like a good idea. There are plenty of good things to say about it and they come out with new things frequently, most of which are worth a mention. Unfortunately, the new things - products, store locations, etc - aren't what seem to attract the press. They seem to enjoy writing about how they are or are not impressed with the store and why it is popular.
Here is yet another article from an east coast paper where the author wondered why Trader Joe's was so popular, tried it and decided that it was a store worth visiting, at least from time to time. The problem with the piece is that the Washington DC area already has several Trader Joe's locations, so the chance that this revelation is actually news to residents, or to anyone else who has shopped at Trader Joe's, is slight.
You don't really see articles in this same vein for other grocery stores. No one visits Safeways and comments on the employee uniforms ("what was with the staff in the retro Hawaiian shirts?"), so the problem must be hype. Every time a new store opens, a buzz arises from that city about the store and the wonders that residents will have access to. The buzz spreads outward and soon other cities - even those that have had the stores for a decade - start talking about it. Again.
By all means, continue to write about the store, but at least make sure that there is something new to write about - a new store, a new product, etc. - when you do it.
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10-11-2006 @6:29PM Dr. Electro said... Ooh! Ooh! Can I write a piece about my local H E B store? They have a new special!!!
Ok, I might like to write about the store and its pluses and minuses, but I'm not exactly frantic about it. I have plenty to write about as it is. I'm just too lazy to blog it. So there.
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10-11-2006 @9:41PM doodoolemonque said... You never know just how valuable a Trader Joe's can be until you live where there is none. Now, the real question is why there is none here in Asheville, known locally as the Berkely of the south.
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10-11-2006 @10:16PM Joyce said... I was excited when a trader Joe's was built near us...i was sorely disappointed...the olive oils tasted rancid, the olives packed in oil tasted rancid...I do like their fresh cheeses, but in reading most the labels on the things there, it is chemicals on top of more chemicals. Very few things there carry the label organic...if you read the fine print on some of their stuff, it will make you run to your nearest coop or trusty grocery. Bottom line, I am not a reporter, just a foodie, and trader joe's never makes my list of places to go when shopping ...AND it is not cheap...many of their products are very espensive with less quality than I can find elsewhere....The 2 buck chuck is probably the best deal they have...and even that leaves a lot to be desired.Joyce
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10-11-2006 @10:57PM A Student said... My favorite thing about Trader Joe's is that it gives the shoppers' psyches that neighborhood grocery karma boost. These aren't Walmart shoppers, no. What most of them don't realize is that Trader Joe's and Aldi are harder, if anything, on their suppliers than Walmart could ever be.
The bulk of their business is house-branded, so if you don't play their way, you're dropped with no options at all. At least with Walmart you usually still have your name on the box, you can sell at Safeway, etc.
I have no problem with their business, in fact I love it, I think it's genius. But watching the people in there always brings a little lunch up my gullet, as they delude themselves that they're above the Walmart riff-raff somehow.
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10-12-2006 @10:20AM Carolyn said... Several Trader Joes are being built in the Atlanta metro where I live. I previously lived in Bakersfield, CA where we finally got a TJ about 10 years ago. Yes, Trader Joes is nice, but I think the reason why more East Coasters are not falling all over themselves to go is because we usually have awesome huge grocery/produce/dry goods/delis/meats/bakeries/florists that go by the misnomer of farmer's markets in our communities. We have the traditional streetside farmer's markets, but we also have these awesome huge warehouse type places where you can get anything from fresh dairy to halal goat meat to live blue crabs to veggies you've never seen before. Your Dekalb Farmer's Market (http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/
) in Decatur, GA is a prime example. It beats the pants off Trader Joe's any day. Cheaper, much more variety and a very cool experience. I always take my out of town foodie guests there. It is really cool.
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10-21-2006 @1:59PM Wave Shoppe Hawaiian Shirts said... Wow, Trader Joes is great. Unique items to eat, Hawaiian shirts and more, why not write about them? If your tired of writing about Trader Joes you are certainly welcome to write about the Wave Shoppe in San Diego where you will find even more bizarre stuff.
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